A Bob Dylan expert who has not written a word of poetry since
his school days has been elected as Oxford’s new Professor
of Poetry. Christopher Ricks polled 214 of the 531 votes cast in
last Saturday’s election, beating his closest rival,
Australian poet Peter Porter, by almost forty votes. His election has sparked controversy, as many within the
university believe that the post should be occupied by a
published poet. New College’s Craig Raine believes that if
no poet can be found, then the post should be opened up to
playwrights and novellists, as well as Magdalen’s John
Fuller. Loon candidate and Oriel postgraduate, Marcus Walker, came
fourth of the five challengers. He polled twenty votes, beating
Ian McMillan, the poet-in-residence for Barnsley FC. He defended
Ricks, telling Cherwell that he “would rather see someone
who appreciates good poetry than someone who writes it
badly”. Walker described his own mood on hearing the results as
‘Tennysonian’: “Poets to the right of me, poets to
the left of me, poets ahead of me… but at least one left
behind.”ARCHIVE: 3rd week TT 2004
Bob Dylan expert for poetry Prof
